I’ve been out of town—blissfully away from the Internet and cell phones and chores. With only so much energy to devote to a new puppy, I found myself—like my new dog—chewing through books. The Christian market astounds me. Formerly, the CBA offered only pap—books so unrealistic and sterilized they offered me no enjoyment. Today, though, I want to share some of my favorites. I recommend them all but have listed them by genre so you purists can find the perfect work for your tastes. (Only don’t chew them literally).
Literary Fiction:
Tosca Lee’s Demon. This book contains no clichés. The ending is unpredictable, the character memorable. You follow Clay and his encounter with a demon. Through it you will discover God’s infinite love and mercy. I can’t wait to read her second book, Havah.
Contemporary Fiction:
Mary DeMuth’s Slow Burn—the sequel to Daisy Chain (which I heard is phenomenal). In Slow Burn we follow Daisy’s mother Emory Chance struggle through her addictions as she copes with her daughter’s murder. Compassionately drawn characters with dark pasts draw the reader in and hold her attention from beginning to end.
Mystery:
Donn Taylor’s Rhapsody in Red is funny and compelling. The names of Taylor’s characters are funny, their situations intriguing. As usual, I couldn’t figure out the killer, but I could relate to protagonist Preston Barclay who, after his wife’s death, hears classical music in his brain. My only criticism: bassoon music always indicates the buffoon or the problem. Hey—it never does that when I play!
I’ll include Claudia Mair Burney’s Death, Deceit and Some Smooth Jazz; however I’ll get into her in my next entry.
Romance:
Claudia Mair Burney’s Zora and Nicky. Burney is funny. Her books overtly Christian, yet the ABA market would love them. They’re character driven and the characters happen to be Christian. Nothing is preachy. In Zora and Nicky Burney criticizes churches that have left true center. She exposes racism—not just from white to black, but through Zora’s eyes and she falls in love with white Nicky.
Poetry:
Once again I have to praise Donn Taylor. Too often Christian poetry is Hallmark sappy. Not Taylor’s. He reminds me of Robert Frost. His poems range from a personal love poem to his wife, to Christian based, to universal themes. Each is as superbly written and understandable as any reputable poet you may have encounter in school—Wallace Stevens, Robert Frost, Hopkins.
Paranormal:
I’m not a vampire fan, but love Eric Wilson’s Jerusalem Dead Trilogy. Here we meet the undead and discover how they work for the enemy of our souls. Like the other books listed here, this book contains no cliché. Wilson uses under-read Scripture to document his fantasy. His protagonist, Gina Laserescu, is a Goth, unsaved and not open to Christianity. Wilson offers no easy solution, no immediate answers. He’s exciting, fun and worth every penny you’d spend on his work.
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Sunday, October 25, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Dancing in God's Garden
Woe is us. Economic recession. Work and work and work. Expensive health care. The wrong president (senator, congressman, legislator) in office. Slow Internet.. Our woes abound and we forget one of my favorite Scriptures in my (currently) favorite book of the Bible. “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). Aside from our “needs,” the garden of the natural world He’s given us display our bounty. And God’s bounty is boundless.
To paraphrase Elizabeth Barrett Browning: How does God love me, let me count the ways:
1. I dug up the dead vegetation in my vegetable garden and found more cucumbers, summer squash and string beans than I can use. Plus people always share the bounties of their own gardens.
2. The fall trees display stunning yellows and reds. They reflect in our local Rec Park pond, so I get double the beauty.
3. When we kayak we see bear and deer and eagles and fishing great blue herons—along with wild flowers, bright skies and billowing clouds.
4. Sunsets and sunrises make me stop what I’m doing and thank Jesus.
5. Ditto for rainbows.
6. Dreary, rainy days give me time to curl up and read. Currently Tosca Lee and Claudia Mair Burney amaze me with their skill and story telling.
7. Frost has hit, but the asters and chrysanthemums still bloom.
8. The first snows delight me—especially when they’re frosty and icy cold. The sun makes the flakes sparkle with red and green and blue—gems strewn before us like we’re royalty.
Lord, I pray, never let us take for granted the gifts you give. Share some of your favorites.
To paraphrase Elizabeth Barrett Browning: How does God love me, let me count the ways:
1. I dug up the dead vegetation in my vegetable garden and found more cucumbers, summer squash and string beans than I can use. Plus people always share the bounties of their own gardens.
2. The fall trees display stunning yellows and reds. They reflect in our local Rec Park pond, so I get double the beauty.
3. When we kayak we see bear and deer and eagles and fishing great blue herons—along with wild flowers, bright skies and billowing clouds.
4. Sunsets and sunrises make me stop what I’m doing and thank Jesus.
5. Ditto for rainbows.
6. Dreary, rainy days give me time to curl up and read. Currently Tosca Lee and Claudia Mair Burney amaze me with their skill and story telling.
7. Frost has hit, but the asters and chrysanthemums still bloom.
8. The first snows delight me—especially when they’re frosty and icy cold. The sun makes the flakes sparkle with red and green and blue—gems strewn before us like we’re royalty.
Lord, I pray, never let us take for granted the gifts you give. Share some of your favorites.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
The Bible According to David
We banter about our theology unmindful of the interpretation others might have. Over the course of a year, God intrigued my three-year-old grandson. Here are a few snippets of his observations during that time.
1. Excited to have my grandchildren for the first Sunday of Advent, I ran to nursery after service to find out how David enjoyed their time in Didi's church. He looked up at me with his big blue eyes. “It’s good,” he said to me in all earnestness. “But God doesn’t go to you church.”
“What do you mean, David.”
“He doesn’t go to your church, but he goes to mine.”
I questioned him repeatedly—rephrasing my query each time. He remained emphatic.
It turned out, one day he asked his mother, “Is God the praying guy?” She didn’t understand his syntax and assumed he asked if God was the man we prayed to. She answered yes. What David actually meant was, “Is the elder who prays at the opening and close of service, God?" For months my grandson believe Geoff, their elder, was God. This, of course, mortified Geoff.
2. Were you aware that God doesn’t control the weather? He’s too far away in heaven. Jesus controls the weather. After all, He’s with us on earth, has lots of arms and plenty of remotes.
3. A point of theology to contemplate: How did God make people if he didn’t have anything to make them with?
4. On day he asked if he could take his legos to heaven? “I’m going to be there for a very long time, and I’m going to be bored.”
5. "God is everywhere, but he’s not in the house. He’s too big, and he’ll break the roof."
6. “God doesn’t have a body. He just floats around.”
1. Excited to have my grandchildren for the first Sunday of Advent, I ran to nursery after service to find out how David enjoyed their time in Didi's church. He looked up at me with his big blue eyes. “It’s good,” he said to me in all earnestness. “But God doesn’t go to you church.”
“What do you mean, David.”
“He doesn’t go to your church, but he goes to mine.”
I questioned him repeatedly—rephrasing my query each time. He remained emphatic.
It turned out, one day he asked his mother, “Is God the praying guy?” She didn’t understand his syntax and assumed he asked if God was the man we prayed to. She answered yes. What David actually meant was, “Is the elder who prays at the opening and close of service, God?" For months my grandson believe Geoff, their elder, was God. This, of course, mortified Geoff.
2. Were you aware that God doesn’t control the weather? He’s too far away in heaven. Jesus controls the weather. After all, He’s with us on earth, has lots of arms and plenty of remotes.
3. A point of theology to contemplate: How did God make people if he didn’t have anything to make them with?
4. On day he asked if he could take his legos to heaven? “I’m going to be there for a very long time, and I’m going to be bored.”
5. "God is everywhere, but he’s not in the house. He’s too big, and he’ll break the roof."
6. “God doesn’t have a body. He just floats around.”
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